List Of Commodities With Rising Prices In Kenya

Kenya’s annual inflation rate eased to 3.8 percent in May 2025, marking a slight reprieve for consumers compared to previous months.

However, the latest report from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reveals a more complex picture beneath the headline figure, with households continuing to feel the squeeze of elevated food prices, transport costs, and housing expenses.

The Inflation rate reflects changes in the cost of living compared to a year earlier and indicates a slower pace of price increases compared to earlier in the year. The drop from April’s figure offers some optimism, but day-to-day expenses for most Kenyans remain high, particularly in food-related categories, which carry the greatest weight in the consumer price index.

One of the key drivers of inflation in May was the continued rise in food and non-alcoholic beverage prices, which rose by 1.2 per cent between April and May 2025. These are essential goods that form the backbone of most household budgets.

Among the standout price increases during this period:

1. Sugar surged by 4.3 per cent, highlighting persistent supply and distribution challenges
2. Sifted maize flour, a staple in many Kenyan homes, climbed 3.9 per cent
3. Kale (sukuma wiki), a common vegetable in many diets, saw a 3.5 per cent rise.

Despite these increases, not all food items followed the same trajectory. There were some small reprieves:

1. Irish potatoes dropped by 3.7 percent, possibly due to increased supply from harvests
2. Oranges fell by 1.8 percent, a decline likely tied to seasonal availability
3. Fresh packaged cow milk edged down by 0.6 per cent, slightly easing breakfast costs for consumers.

While these decreases are welcome, they were not sufficient to counterbalance the general upward trend in food prices, which continues to affect the average household’s monthly expenditure.

In the non-food categories, price movements were more varied. The cost of electricity, for instance, saw a modest decline. According to the KNBS report, the cost of a 50 kWh unit of electricity decreased by 1.0 per cent from April to May.

A 200 kWh unit also fell, though slightly less, at 0.9 per cent. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices for a 13kg cylinder dropped by 0.5 percent.

These minor reductions offer some relief, particularly for middle-income households, but they did little to offset the broader cost pressures seen across other expenditure categories.

Housing costs, meanwhile, showed minimal movement. The cost of renting a single room remained stable at approximately Ksh4,170 per month between April and May 2025. However, compared to the same period last year, rents for this type of housing rose by 1.7 per cent, indicating a slow but steady upward drift in accommodation costs over time.

The KNBS noted that the overall housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels index showed a negligible month-on-month change, suggesting relative stability in this sector, at least in the short term.

Transport, which represents nearly 10 percent of the average Kenyan household’s monthly budget, recorded a 0.2 percent increase in May 2025 compared to April. This uptick was primarily attributed to a rise in the cost of international air travel.

Despite the unchanged prices of petrol and diesel during the month, the overall transport index reflects broader pressures, including international factors such as global fuel prices and airline operational costs. Over the past 12 months, transport-related costs have grown by 2.3 percent, mirroring ongoing volatility in the sector.

Education services rose by 0.2 per cent in May, translating to a 2.9 per cent increase compared to May 2024. Restaurants and accommodation services posted a slight monthly increase of 0.1 per cent, contributing to a 3.8 per cent annual rise.

Insurance and financial services remained flat in May but have gone up by 0.9 per cent year-on-year. Personal care, social protection, and miscellaneous goods and services recorded a 0.4 per cent increase from April to May, leading to a 3.7 per cent rise compared to the same month last year.

While the drop in the overall inflation rate to 3.8 per cent is a positive signal, the continued increase in key household expenses, particularly food and transport, means many Kenyans are still facing considerable financial strain. The marginal declines in energy and utility prices offer some respite but are insufficient to significantly alter the overall cost burden for consumers.

As policymakers monitor these developments, the KNBS report underscores the importance of targeted interventions to stabilize food supplies, manage fuel costs, and ensure access to affordable housing. For now, the inflation landscape remains mixed, with cautious optimism tempered by persistent challenges in essential expenditure categories.

Read Also: List Of Commodities Whose Prices Are Set To Shoot